Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure and work life.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Central Bedfordshire increased by 8.9%, from just under 234,000 to 254,000.

The addition of just under 21,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Central Bedfordshire was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Central Bedfordshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Central Bedfordshire increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This growing rural area had a slightly higher average age than Eastof England and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 8,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 6,000.

About 11% of people in Central Bedfordshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Central Bedfordshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Central Bedfordshire saw Eastof England's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Central Bedfordshire had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 32%.

Across the region, only Stevenage (from 8.8% to 10%) and Rochford (from 11% to 12%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Central Bedfordshire went from having the 19th-highest to the 11th-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Central Bedfordshire

The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.9% to 7.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire that rented privately increased from 6.9% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14% in 2001. The percentage of Central Bedfordshire households that owned their home decreased from 77% to 73%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Central Bedfordshire increased by 5.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Central Bedfordshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 15% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Central Bedfordshire decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Central Bedfordshire, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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